Confirmed Ebola cases in Uganda climb to nine

The health ministry of Uganda has reported an increase in confirmed Ebola cases from three to nine.

The outbreak of this severe and often deadly viral infection was declared late last month in the East African nation.

The current outbreak is attributed to the Sudan strain of the virus, which lacks an approved vaccine.

According to a statement from the health ministry on Monday, one of the nine confirmed cases has resulted in death, while seven patients are receiving treatment in a hospital in Kampala, and one is hospitalized in Mbale, close to the Kenyan border.

All eight patients are reported to be in stable condition, and 265 individuals who had contact with the confirmed cases are under quarantine.

This month, the World Health Organization announced that Uganda has initiated a trial vaccination program targeting the Sudan strain of Ebola.

Currently, available vaccines are designed for the Zaire strain, which has caused recent outbreaks in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.